After seizing Jesus, they brought Him to the house of Caiaphas. To put Him to death, they needed the agreeing testimony of at least two...
After seizing Jesus, they brought Him to the house of Caiaphas. To put Him to death, they needed the agreeing testimony of at least two people, but this was not easy. At last some were found who distorted Christ's words and said, "We heard Him say, I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands" (compare John 2:19).
But even this was not enough. The defendant answered nothing, just as Isaiah had prophesied (Isa. 53:7). The high priest was perplexed: "Do You answer nothing?" (v. 60). Silence in reply. "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" What would He say? This time the answer rang out firmly and confidently: "I am; and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven."
This was more than enough. By acknowledging Himself as the Messiah, Jesus condemned Himself to death. Blasphemy was a crime worthy of death under Jewish law. The high priest, tearing his garments, as Jews did as a sign of bitter grief or when witnessing sacrilege, said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?" Jesus was judged worthy of death.
Peter was in the courtyard all this time, and one of the servant girls recognized him: "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth," she said. Peter loved the Teacher with all his soul. Moved by this love, he had followed the Teacher to the high priest's house. Peter had even been ready to die for Him (Mark 14:31). But now the one who would become the first of the apostles gave way to fear. Everything was different from what Peter had expected. "I do not know or understand what you are saying," he answered the servant girl. Twice more that day he denied the Teacher. The rooster crowed twice, and he, remembering Christ's prophecy, went out and wept bitterly.
How often we too give way to fear and are ready to deny the Lord, largely because His actions do not fit our ideas about Him.
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14:53 Mat 26:57; Luk 22:54; Joh 18:12.
14:55 All the council sought for witness and found none - What an amazing proof of the overruling providence of God, considering both their authority, and the rewards they could offer, that no two consistent witnesses could be procured, to charge him with any gross crime. Mat 26:59.
14:56 Their evidences were not sufficient - The Greek words literally rendered are, Were not equal: not equal to the charge of a capital crime: it is the same word in the 59th verse.
14:58 We heard him say - It is observable, that the words which they thus misrepresented, were spoken by Christ at least three years before, Joh 2:19. Their going back so far to find matter for the charge, was a glorious, though silent attestation of the unexceptionable manner wherein he had behaved, through the whole course of his public ministry.
14:61 Mat 26:63; Luk 22:67.